Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

Lest it be construed that I disagree with my colleagues on the other side of the House, I do not. I agree with them. I was delighted to hear what the Minister of State had to say. I remember an extremely lively debate on this issue when the association of health boards was in operation. As this took place quite some time ago, the issue is not unusual. I am delighted it will be brought centre stage and that 2006 might be the year in which some sanity is brought to the subject. A serious cost issue arises in this regard and one does not need to be a rocket scientist to work out what it is. It has been noted correctly that generic drugs and those other drugs with trade names, whatever one wishes to call them, perform the same function. Why, in most cases, are people obliged to opt for the most expensive variety, since they are the same? Variety may not be an appropriate word to use.

I am delighted by the Minister of State's comments. I know that he has difficulties and I appreciate that there are likely to be legal implications which must be teased out. We should proceed with a degree of caution and should not sacrifice accuracy for speed. While this has been going on for a long time, it is never too late to do the right thing. I am sure that sanity will have been introduced in this respect by the end of 2006.